Lacing-hook.



J. W. WINGERT.

LACING HOOK.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.23. 1913.

1,159,634. Patnted NOV. 9,1915.

Witnesses COLUMBIA PLANouml-l COQWASHINGTO D. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN W. WINGERT, OF'WICHITA, KANSAS, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF TO FRANKLIN-P.

STEINKIRCHNER, OF WICHITA,'KA1\TS AS;

LAoiNG-HooK Specification of Letters Patent.

PatentedNov. 9, 1915.

Application filed September 23, 1913. Serial No. 791,357.

1 '0 all coil-0m it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN W. WINGERT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Wichita, in the county of Sedgwick and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements'in Lacing-Hooks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvementsin lacing hooks of that character which are used upon opposite margins of an article of wearing apparel to be laced or fastened by a lacing string or ribbon, the device of the invention being particularly adapted for boots and shoes.

It is one of the objects of my invention to provide a lacing hook in which the lace will not only be protected and resisted against dislodgment fromthe hook but wherein the hook itself will be formed so that it will not engage with open work undergarments in cases where the lacing hook is used on ladies foot-gear.

A further object is to provide a lacing hook which will normally occupy an ele vated position in convenient access for engagement by the lace, and which will, upon the lace being tensioned, be sprung into supported engagement with a hook rest.

Another feature of my invention consists in providing guards which will lie abreast of the spring hook when the same is seated on its rest but which will be disposed'belowthespring hook when the latter is not engaged by the lace.

A further object consists in providing an article of this character which can be formed of an integral piece of material so as to avoid the use of pivots.

Further objects of the invention will be more particularly described in connection with the accompanying drawing, and will be more particularly pointed out and ascertained in and by the appended claims.

In the drawing ;Figure 1 is a face view which may consist of the adjacent margins or flies of a boot or shoe and which are laced in attached relation. Fig. 2 is a sectional view on line 22 of Fig. 1, with the lace omitted. Fig. 3 is a plan view of one of the hooks detached from the margin or fly. Fig. f is a sectional View on line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Like characters of reference designate similar parts throughout the different figures of the drawing.

w I As illustrated, ldesignat'es the margins or flies of a boot or shoe which are provided with lacing hooks2,embodying one form of my lnvention, the hooks, being shown en-.

gaged by a lacing ribbon 3, the ends of which are t ed in a bow, as indicated at 4. 7

Referring more'particularly to Figs. 2 and f, it will be seen that the hook may comprise a base, 5,.having an eyelt 6 adaptedto be upset upon the material 1 to fasten the hook in the usual manner. Projecting from the base 5 at one point thereof is a hook rest or seat 7, which is preferably curved to conform to the curvature of a hook but which preferably does not extend far enough. to terminate in a true hook portion. 7 Preferably at the opposite end of said base 5, I provide a shank 8 which is bent upon itself and which terminates in a hook 9. The shank 8 is preferablyresilient so that normally the hook 9 will lie above and out of engagement with the rest 7, as shown indotted lines in Fig. 2.

Laterally of the hook 9 and its shank 8, I

provide guards 10 which are preferably rounded as at 11, toward the hook 9, and which terminate in straight shoulder portions 12. p p

All of the parts are formed of one piece of material so as to avoid pivotal connection and other features which have been found to be impracticable in a lacing'hook of this character.

In forming the hook, I preferably strike up portions of the material to form the guards 10, as will be seen by reference to Fig. 4, and thus the base 5 will consist of a relatively narrow strip of material and will be connected by vertical walls 13 with the upper portions of the guards 10 thereby forming a grooved way in which the shank 8 is disposed.

Itwill be readily seen from the dotted line position of the hook in Fig. 2, that the hook portion 9 will lie above the guards 10 so as to be readily accessible to receive the shoe lace. T Vhen tension is applied to the lace it willovercome the spring action of the hook shank 8 and cause the hook end 9 to seat on the support 7. This will bring the hook end 9 very slightly below the guards 10 so that the latter will shield the hook from entrance thereto or engagement there-, with of lace or any garments consisting of from being torn.

My invention distinguishes from any lacing hook heretofore made, so far as I am aware, in the provision of a spring hook which normally lies above its guards and which is adapted to be sprung into shielded relation with its guards upon tension of the shoe lace. I also believe it to be novel to provide a spring hook of this character which will be supported when under tension by the shoe lace so as not to unduly wear out the spring shank. Thus it will be seen by reference to Fig. 2, that the strain imposed by tension of the shoe lace on the hook which would otherwise be subjected to the spring shank, is taken up by the support or seat 7, which is preferably formed. rigid.

It is believed that the utility and advanta es of my invention will be clear from the foregoing and while I have herein shown and described one specific form of my invention, I do not wish to be limited thereto, except for such limitations as the claims may import.

I claim 1. In a lacing hook, a base, an eyelet formed on said base, guards on said base to iorm an intermediate recessed way, an integral member movable in said way having formed at opposite extremities a hook portion and a spring bight, the latter normally maintaining the former above said. guards, and a hook shaped rest formed on said base and adapted to relieve the strain on said night by accommodating said hook portion under tension of a lacing member.

2. A. lacing hook comprising a body having a fastening eye, a hook rest formed integral with said body and extending from one point thereof, a hook shank extending from another portion of said body and being bent upon itself to lie and extend across said body, said shank being resilient and having a terminal hooked end adapted to seat in said support under lacing tension, said body having guards struck up therefrom and disposed on opposite sides of said hook to shield the same against engagement with undergarments when the hook is under lacing tension, substantially as described.

3. A. lacing hook comprising a body having an eye for attachment of the hook with a support, said body having a base provided with shank-guiding walls shaped to form guards, a spring hook formed integral with said body and lying between said walls and tensioned to dispose its hook above said walls when the hook is not under lacing tension, and a rest in alinement with said hook and formed integral with said body for supporting the hook against lacing ten sion, substantially as described.

a. In a lacing hook, a base, an eyelet formed on said base, an integral member formed on said base with a spring bight and a hook portion in opposite directions, a rest to accommodate said hook portion and guards on both sides of said member to form a recessed way for the movement thereof and to cover the edge of said hook when the latter is engaged by said rest.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence oi? two witnesses.

JOHN W. WINGERT.

Witnesses ANGIE DAVIS, HENRY Lanes.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of ZPatents, Washington, D. C. 

